Donal Lenihan previews Leinster's URC semi-final this weekend, and also plays tribute to the late Fergus Slattery, who died on Wednesday.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has signed a new contract with the IRFU.

Leo Cullen says he expects Jacques Nienaber to remain at Leinster next season, adding that his senior coach is "fully committed" to the province.

Joe McCarthy has been passed fit for Leinster's BKT United Rugby Championship semi-final with the Stormers on Saturday, but Dan Sheehan will miss due to injury.

Everything you need to know head of this weekend's BKT United Rugby Championship semi-finals, as Leinster take on the Stormers at Aviva Stadium.

Former Ireland rugby captain Fergus Slattery has died at the age of 77, his club Blackrock College RFC has announced.

Munster remain on the lookout for a high-profile tighthead prop signing, after their chief target, Tyrel Lomax, committed his future to New Zealand.

Bernard Jackman believes Leinster and Irish rugby will be poorer for the loss of James Lowe next season.

James Ryan says Leinster are on full alert for the Stormers with previous URC semi-final losses against South African opposition fresh in their minds.

James Ryan says Leinster are on full alert for the Stormers with previous URC semi-final losses against South African opposition fresh in their minds.

Neil Treacy is joined by Bernard Jackman and Jonny Holland to recap a week of high drama in Irish rugby, and the URC quarter-finals.

Losing Champions Cup finals doesn't get any easier, even if Leinster's latest heartbreak didn't have any of the late drama of their previous defeats.

Munster's quarter-final loss to the Bulls means that they can finally put an end to what was a testing season, both on and off the pitch.

Jacques Nienaber cast doubt on his future at Leinster in an explosive press conference on Monday, claiming he doesn't feel valued in Ireland.

Leinster are dealing with several injury doubts for Saturday's BKT United Rugby Championship semi-final with Stormers, with Joe McCarthy, Dan Sheehan, Tommy O'Brien, Rónan Kelleher, Garry Ringrose, Tadhg Furlong and Jordan Larmour all being monitored for knocks.

Leinster's opponents Stormers have been dealt a major blow ahead of Saturday's BKT United Rugby Championship semi-final, with star out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu sidelined with a long-term ankle injury.

A defiant Leo Cullen sent out a message on Saturday night: If you have a problem with him, say it to his face.

The prospect of James Lowe leaving Leinster appears be getting more real after Leo Cullen again declined to comment on the winger's future following their URC quarter-final win over Lions.

There was no post-Bilbao hangover for Leinster as they made light work of a tired Lions side, 59-10, to secure their place in the semi-finals of the United Rugby Championship

Leinster hosted the Lions at Aviva Stadium looking to book their place in the semi-finals of the BKT United Rugby Championship. Relive all the action here.

Munster's season came to an end after a 45-14 United Rugby Championship quarter-final defeat to Bulls in Pretoria.

Read how it all unfolded as the Balls ran out convincing winner against an understrength Munster outfit

Follow our updates as Munster after just making the last-eight strive to go a step further in the competition.

Connacht's BKT United Rugby Championship hopes have been ended after a 33-21 defeat to the Glasgow Warriors, who march on to a Murrayfield semi-final against Bulls or Munster next week.

Follow our minute by minute coverage as Connacht take on Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun for a place in the semi-finals of the BKT United Rugby Championship.

As play-off assignments go, Clayton McMillan's side have it as tough as it comes this afternoon.

As play-off assignments go, Clayton McMillan's side have it as tough as it comes this afternoon.

Donal Lenihan casts an an eye over the the weekend games with Connacht and Munster having away assignments and Leinster, after Champions Cup disappointment, looking to bounce back at Aviva Stadium.

Alex Nankivell returns to the Munster starting line-up side for their clash with the Vodacom Bulls in the only change from the team that beat Lions two weeks ago to secure a fifth-place regular season finish in the URC.

Leo Cullen says he has no intention of walking away as Leinster head coach this summer, and he insists he is the man who can help deliver the province their fifth Investec Champions Cup title.

James Lowe's future at Leinster remains up in the air, after Leo Cullen chose not to offer an update on the prolonged contract negotiations.

James Lowe will make his 100th appearance for Leinster in Saturday's BKT United Rugby Championship quarter-final with the Lions, with Leo Cullen making eight changes from last week's Champions Cup final defeat.

Munster have confirmed that forwards coach Alex Codling will depart the province at the end of the season to take up a new role in the Top 14.

Evan O'Connell feels no extra pressure as the nephew of Ireland legend Paul, saying he has to forge his own way in the game.

Bernard Jackman believes Leinster will have real regrets over the way they "mismanaged" Ciarán Frawley's gametime at out-half in recent sesons.

New Zealand captain Scott Barrett is set to miss the inaugural Nations Championship Tests, including the summer clash with Ireland, while sidelined for up to five months to recover from back surgery.

Neil Treacy is joined by Bernard Jackman and Gareth Steenson on this week's RTÉ Rugby podcast, as we look back on a pair of disappointing Champions and Challenge Cup final defeats for Leinster and Ulster.

Jo Yapp will make rugby history when she leads the first ever British and Irish Lions women's team to New Zealand in 2027.

Leinster have confirmed that loosehead prop Paddy McCarthy will miss the rest of the province's season with a foot injury, and the 22-year-old now looks like a doubt for Ireland's Nations Championship campaign this summer.

Andrew Porter insists Leinster are determined to finish their season with silverware, as they aim to park their latest Champions Cup final defeat.

We're down to the quarter-finals of the BKT United Rugby Championship, with three Irish provinces in the play-offs. Here's everything you need to know ahead of this weekend's games.

Clayton McMillan has again indicated that he will remain with Munster next season but is still seeking assurances that everyone at the club are "all heading in the same direction."

Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster has said they will approach Friday's United Rugby Championship clash with Glasgow with a 'nothing to lose' attitude as they aim to pull off an upset in Scotland.

It was another sobering final weekend for Leinster in the Champions Cup as Union Bordeaux-Begles destroyed their hopes of changing the recent narrative of European shortcomings.

Jack Crowley has been ruled out of Munster's BKT URC quarter-final against Bulls on Saturday as he continues his recovery from an "obscure" leg injury.

Ciarán Frawley says the chance to reunite with Stuart Lancaster and the potential to get more game time informed his decision to leave Leinster for Connacht.

Noel McNamara believes there is more to come from Bordeaux-Begles, after they made it back to back Investec Champions Cup titles on Saturday with a 41-19 win against Leinster.

For Leinster, it's now the annual salvage mission to get something tangible to show for their season, after another crushing final defeat.

Caelan Doris says their chastening Champions Cup final defeat to Bordeaux-Begles hasn't dented his belief that Leinster can get back to the top of European rugby.

Leo Cullen admitted his side were guilty of letting Bordeaux score "cheaply" as Leinster fell to yet another Investec Champions Cup final defeat.